Space-covering structure



Aug. 26,- 1930.

c. PANTKE SPACE COVERING STRUCTURE Filed March 6, 1929 7 5 Sheets-Sheet 2v farj y INVENTOR c. PANTKE 1,7 ,85

SPACE COVERING STRUCTURE Filed March 6, 1929 5 Sheets-, Sheet 3 i 7 2L Jfg' d ATT ORN EY Aug. 26, 1930. c. PANTKE 7 ,85 SPACE covsnme STRUCTURE v Filed March 6, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 &iZi"Z/d Para? a rmani? 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 6, 1929 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 26, 1930 I CONRAD PANTKE, or NEW Y RK, 1 I. Y,

SPACE COVERING STRUCTURE I Application filed March a,

I The present invention relates to improvements in space-covering structures, one ob;- ject of the invention being the provisionoi' a covering adapted for use upon'tanks, silos and roofs of varying shapes, in which the covering supporting member is constructed in the form of a network or lattice,the elements of which are so connected that the stresseswill arch around such members and, in the event 1c of elimination or destruction of any portion of the arch due tofire or other causes, such stresses will be taken care of and the structure will be properly supported for a period of sufficient duration to permit of the repair and replacement of the defective or eliminated portions of the structure. 7

Another object of the invention is the pro- I vision of a network roofing frame,-the ele-;

ments of whichmay be constructed at the mill] and shipped ready for erection,ithe elements being readilyassembled at the building-site in a simple manner without the useof trusses,

beams or the like, and with employment of a minimum amountof light scaffolding.

5 Still another object of the invention is the provision of elementsformed of any suitable material, such 'aswood, steel or reinforced concrete,-whichelements may be curved or straight and bent at one or more points in I so their length, saidelem'ents eachbeing longer than their width and wider than their thick- I ness in order to accomplish the main object of the present invention. V

Still anotherobject of this invention is the provision of elements for forming a roof structurewhich are easily and readily disltingui hable from structural members ordinarily used byreasonof the'fact that they are providedvattheir ends with parts which pro- -1 ,trude' essentially and approximately in [the directionof their width, these parts serving as a convenient point for simple andeconomicalconnection for producing the'final'network structure. i I

With the foregoing and other objectsin view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention residesjin thecombiarrangements of parts and inthe' I nation and I details of construction hereinafter described 5O and-claimed, it being understood that changes 1929. Serial No. 344,730.

in the precise embodimentof the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

i V In the drawings V i 1 Figure, 1 a dia'grammatic view of an ovalshaped covering structure made according to and embodying the present invention;

. Figure 2 is a section t ken on line 2- 2 of Figure 1; Y I

Figure 3is a section taken on line 3--3 of Figurel; I a I Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a circular domed type of covering;

Figure 5- is asection taken on, line 55 of Figurefl; I v I I v V Figure 6 is a View similar to Figures'l and 4 of a rectangular domed structure made according. to and embodying the present invention; I i v i v I Figure 7 is a sectiontaken on line 7-7' of Figure 6; I

Figure 8 is a section takenon line 8-8 of Figure 6; w I I I v Figure 9 is a top plan View of one type of ]01Ilt or connection "used in forming any of the roof structures previously illustrated; t

Figure .10 is a view similar to Figure 9' ofa form of joint I i I I 'Fi ure 11,is a view similar to Figures 9 and 10, o still another modified form of joint;

Figure 12 is an end view of the joint shown in Figure 11 but which basically illustrates the joints show-n inFigures 9 and 10;

Figure/13 is a plan view of still another modified form of joint;

Figure His an endview ofthe joint of Figure13; I

;Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 9 of still another modified form ofj oint; I v Figure 16 is an end view of the joint shown Figure 15 j I Figure 17 is a topplan 'view of a portion of bodying the present invention;

Figure '18 is a section taken online 18-18 of Figure 17 I I Figure 19 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the wall and adjacent portion of the covering as shown in Figure 17; and,

Figure is a top plan View of the )ortion of the covering shown in Figure 19, the wall being omitted.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to the structures shown in Figures 1 to 16, inclusive, the elements 21, in Figures 1, 4 and 6, constitute the outer frame por tion of the respective structures. Connected to and extending throughout the str icture are the various joints 22, the details of which are clearly illustrated in Figures 9' to 16, inclu sive, and which may be slightly modified to produce the necessary contour for the outer surface of the roof" structure, as particularly illustrated in the cross-sections of \he several views.

In the structure illustrated in Figi'ire 9, a breast plate and connecting elements 24 and are employed, the elements 24; being connected to the angle plates 26, the upstanding portions 27 of which are connected to the plate 23, while the elements are connected to the angle members 28, the upstanding portions 29 oi? which abut the opposite sides of the plates 23 and are attached thereto with the upstanding portions 27 oi the angle plates 26 by means of the bolts 30. An angle plate 33 isalso attached to the plate 23 centrally thereof, and between the angle plates 28, and by means of the rivets 32 the elements 31 are attached thereto. By this means, the upper faces of the elements 24 and 25 may be so positioned with relation to the attaching plates 26 and 28 that the desired angularity may be imparted thereto to pro-- duce the contour necessary for'the cover-in".

As shown in Fig. 10, the plate 23 is shorter than the plate'23 illustrated in Figure 9, and the plate 33 is dispensed with, the elements corresponding to the elements in Figure 9 being primed, the only difference in structure being that the elements 31' are attached to the respective plates 28 instead of to an additional plate, as illustrated in Figure 9.

In Figure 11 the parts corresponding to those illustrated in Figure 9 r are double primed, the plate 23 being disposed at a right ang e to that shown in Figures 9 and 10. while the angle plates 26 and 28 are also parallel to the elements 31 instead of at right angles thereto.

The joint as shown in Figure 12 may be taken as typical of the several oints, but this figure is an elevational view of Figure 11, the angularity oi the elements 24 and 25 with the attaching bolts securing the elements 31 in position upon opposite sides of the plate 23" being illustrated therein.

As shown in. Figure 13, the elements which correspond to those shown in Figure?) are l d by corresponding reference nuce :1 meriils with the addition of the exponent a, the plate which corresponds to the plate 23 in Figure 9 being placed in a similarposition and designated 23, and the parts being illuselements 54 are attached.

trated in side elevation in Figure 14. In these figures the two oppositely disposed pairs of angle irons 37 and are shown as connected together by means of the bolts 41 and 42 and properly support the angle irons 26 and 2 so that the elements 24 and 25 are supported the desired inclination or angularity.

in Figures 15 and 16, the parts coresponding to those illustrated in re 9 are designated by reference numerals with the addition of the exponent b, this structure producing a slightly different angle and positioning of the elements 24: and 25".

By combining the respective joints illus trated in Figures 9 to 16, and also certain modifications thereof, the connecting elements 2st, 25 and 31, which are longer than they are wide, and wider than they are thick, in all instances, are properly connected so as to produce the several structures as illustrated in Figures 1, l and 6, to the end that the various shapes and a section, as illustrated in the other views, may be imparted to the covering to produce a net-like arrangement.

It will thus be seen that, when these various oints and elements are assembled, they provide a safe structure, which even though certain members may be eliminated or destroyed due to fire, or other causes, will stand up safely, inasmuch as the stresses will arch around the space previously occupied by such eli ainated members. Thus, if a section were eliminated from any one of the structures illustrated, the surrounding elements and their joints would take care of these stresses previously supported by the eliminated section and thus prevent sagging or collapsing of the covering structure.

In Figures 17 to 20, inclusive, a slightly modified form of covering R is shown. In this instance, the walls 43 are provided upon their inner faces with a recessed portion at for the reception of anchoring plates 45 and metal anchors 46. Attached to each plate 45 of some of the oppositely disposed pairs of plates 45 by the upper ends of said anchors is an angle plate 47 to which a tie-rod 48 with its supporting strut t8 is properly attached for the purpose of bracing the covering E. This covering comprises a number of elements E, each one of which is typical, but where attached to the wall consist oi? the two upright angle plates 49 spaced apart and attached to the elements 50. These elements 50 are provided with angle strips 51, one above and one below, and extending the full length of the wall, while attached to the outer face of these angle strips is a plate 23 similar to the plate 23, illustrated in Figure 9, and which constitutes the anchoring plate for the angle strips 51 and the angle plates 53 to which the Thus it will be seen that with the present structure the primary object Ol producing elements of greater length than width and of greater width than thickness is attained'in the production of'an mill according to drawings, or the like,and

I the admission of light to the building.

' arched structure of the same segmental or ofroof covering; and, where desired, glass or be shipped ready for erection;' that the same may be erected with the use of exceedingly light scaffolding and without the employment 1 of cranes; that the joints and connecting elements may be so arrangedin sets as'to provide a rigid frame for supporting an type transparent elements, may be employed'for It will also be apparcnt'that, in the event"; of the elimination of some ofthe members 24 and 25 and the joints connecting the same, the present typelof covering will stand up safely inasmuch'as the stresses can and will" arch around the positions formerly occupied 'by the members-which have been eliminated It will also be apparent that thisconstruction of covering framemay be repaired or replaced in much the same fashion as a hole v the introduction of new elements 24 I, I and their connecting members;

in a fishing net is mended; that is to say, by

rnents, a plate disposed between the ends of adjacent flanged elements'and between ad- 3. In a self-supporting.latt1ce,net-likejarranged flanged elementslof greater length than width and greater width than thickness,- angle clips arranged in pluralities substanf i tially laterally of the lattice, said clips each having one flange attached to a flange of an adjacent 'element, the other flanges of the ,jacent protruding clip flanges, and means for 7 connecting the said clip flan es and plates. I I

angle clips protruding inthe direction of 'thewidth of said'e'lements, a plate between adjacent pluralities of the protruding .clip

flanges, and means for connecting the said clip-flanges and plates.

4'. In a self-supporting lattice, net-like arranged flanged elements'of greater length than width and greater width than thickness,

angle clips, bolts securing one flangeof each; clip to an adjacent element, the other flanges p of the angle clips-protruding in the direction of the width ofv saidelement's, a plate be-' tween adjacentprotruding clip flanges, and I bolts connecting thesaid clip flanges and plates.

" In testimony "whereof I have hereunto set my hand f It is to be understood that these structures; may'form either a shell-closedin itself, or any,

part of a shell, suchas a segment or zone, or

a combination of parts of different shells.

-' These shells may or may not be covered'on the inside or outside, or'on'both sides, and the; joints may .or may or braced against each other by additional means such as ties, braces, struts or the like, and that other elements or systems of elements may be superimposed uponthe shells; I

Iclaim y 1. In a self-supporting lattice,net-like ar ranged flanged elements of greater length 7 than width'and greater width thanthickness,

not be tied together 1 CONRAD PANTKEQ angle clips, said clips each having one flange 7 attached to a flange of an adjacent element,

theother flanges of, the angle clipsprotrud-- ing in the directionjof the width of said elea ments, a plate betweenadjacent protruding clip said clip flangesand plates.

flanges, and means for'connecting the r 2. In a self-supporting lattice, net-like arranged flangedv elements of gerater length than width and greater width thanthickness,

" angle clips said clips-eachhaving one flange attached to a flange of an adj acent'element,

the other flanges of the angle clips protrud- Q ing in thedirection of-the width of said ele- 

